Into Studs

• 1). Decide if your fasteners will be screwed into wall studs or into only the wall. There are advantages to both ways. Fastening to the wall's underlying studs gives you the added support of the house's frame. But fastening to the wall by itself, may be necessary if your mirror is not quite 12 inches wide, which is generally the space between studs.
  
  
• 2). Locate the wall studs. Use an electronic stud finder that tells you where the studs are. You can also locate the studs by knocking softly but firmly across the wall in 6-inch increments. Where the wall sounds solid, as opposed to hollow, is where a stud is located. Typically a mirror used for a bathroom will be more than a foot wide, so you should be able to anchor it on two studs centered over the sink, which is generally the ideal location. If the studs are located such that it's difficult to center the mirror using two screws at opposite ends, or if the mirror is an awkward size, you may need to anchor your screws more toward the center of the mirror.
  
  
• 3). Examine the back of the mirror to determine how to hang it. There are generally two methods for hanging a mirror. On the backside there may be a notch on each end or in the center of the frame. This is to easily hoist the mirror onto the screws and rest the two screws into the notches. Other mirrors may have a wire attached to the back which runs the length of the mirror. This wire is designed to balance the weight of the mirror on the two screws. Whether your mirror is equipped with a wire or notches will determine where your screws will go in the wall.
  
  
• 4). Determine the exact location for the mirror. Using a tape measure, you'll need to mark the points where the hanger notches will meet the wall. If your mirror has a wire, you'll need to measure its depth respective to the top of the frame. This will tell you where you need to put the screws.
  
  
• 5). Use flat-head, not round-head, screws, when screwing into studs. This will ensure that the mirror hangs flush against the wall. Because you'll typically be drilling into studs, use tapered wood screws.
  
  
• 6). Use anchor screws to to fasten a mirror into drywall only. Also called self-drilling screws, anchor screws support the mirror's weight. Because drywall can break relatively easy and is generally hollow, anchor screws shift the brunt of the weight of the mirror behind the wall surface. Once anchor screws have penetrated through the wall, they are designed to expand, supporting the weight of a heavy mirror. Packages of anchor screws will generally list how much weight they can support.
  
  
• 7). Hang the mirror. Use a level to make sure the mirror hangs evenly on the wall. If the house is not level, you may need to adjust your mirror using naked-eye judgment.